The San Francisco 49ers won't comment on an online report yesterday that top draft choice Michael Crabtree is willing to hold out the entire season.

ESPN.com quoted Crabtree's cousin and adviser, David Wells, as saying that Crabtree is prepared to sit and re-enter the NFL draft next year.

The 49ers yesterday released a statement saying that the team does not negotiate in the media. "In our view, there have been open and positive conversations on both sides," the statement said.

San Francisco took the wide receiver with the 10th overall pick out of Texas Tech this year.

When quarterback Alex Smith was told about the report, he shook his head.

"I haven't spoken to him since the summer," Smith said. "It's something I haven't thought about to tell you the truth. We're pretty focused on the guys we have here right now. I'm not worried about it."

If Crabtree does show up, he'll do so having missed all the OTAs and a growing chunk of training camp. "As a rookie, you're already behind the eight ball," Smith said. "You're just trying to catch up, all the timing that goes with it and trying to know your position, it's hard."

CHARGERS

TV BLACKOUTS POSSIBLE

Southern California's only NFL team is having a hard time selling out its games because of the slow economy.

The San Diego Chargers are warning fans that local television blackouts are likely for the two home exhibition games and possibly for some regular-season games.

"I think we're concerned about all eight regular-season games," chief operating officer Jim Steeg said yesterday. "None of those at this moment are close to being sold out."

Steeg said it was difficult to provide specific numbers of tickets available for regular-season games.

"We know there's a significant number out there," he said, adding that the team has better seats available this year than in recent years at 70,000-seat Qualcomm Stadium.

The Chargers still have between 6,000 and 8,000 tickets available for the exhibition opener against Seattle on Aug. 15, and more than that for the exhibition against San Francisco on Sept. 4, Steeg said.

The Chargers haven't had an exhibition blackout since 2006 or a regular-season blackout since 2004

The Chargers have won three straight AFC West titles and reached the AFC championship game two seasons ago.

ROETHLISBERGER CASE

ACCUSER THREATENED

The woman who has accused Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger of raping her at a Lake Tahoe hotel-casino where she worked told authorities she has received dozens of threatening and harassing phone calls.

In a police report filed with the Douglas County Sheriff's Department, the 31-year-old woman said she has received "well over 100" annoying messages since she filed a civil suit against the football star July 17 in Washoe District Court in Reno.

The woman said people have left phone messages calling her a "whore" and threatening that "something's going to happen" if she did not drop the lawsuit, according to the police report filed July 30.

The woman who worked as an executive VIP casino host at Harrah's Lake Tahoe claims in her civil suit that the two-time Super Bowl winner lured her to his hotel room under false pretenses and raped her during a celebrity golf tournament last summer. She's seeking a minimum of $490,000 plus punitive damages.

Roethlisberger has called the rape allegations "reckless and false," and said he would fight them through the legal process.

MCNAIR TRIBUTE

TITANS WILL WEAR 'NO. 9'

The Tennessee Titans will honor slain former quarterback Steve McNair by wearing a No. 9 decal on their helmets this season, starting with Sunday's Hall of Fame Game against the Buffalo Bills.

NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said yesterday the league found it appropriate to approve the team's 1 1/4-inch decal in memory of McNair, who was killed July 4. McNair played 11 seasons with the Titans and led the team to its only Super Bowl appearance.

McCarthy said Titans coaches and sideline personnel also will have the option to wear a No. 9 lapel pin.

McNair retired in April 2008 after 13 NFL seasons, the last two with Baltimore.